Heater



Nov. 2, 1943.

J. R. WEAVER HEATER Filed Dec. 30, 1941 s Sheets-Sheet 1 WWMWM R t i III III! IIU Nov. 2, 1943.

.|. R. WEAVER HEATER Filed Dec. 30, 1941 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 cfa Vl 41 7/127".

Nov. 2, 1943. J. R. WEAVER HEATER Filed Dec. 30, 1941 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented Nov. 2, 1943 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,333,606 Y P HEATER John R. Weaver, Camp Hill, Pa. Application December 30, 1941, Serial No. 424,993 7 Claims. (o 122-336) This invention relates to heaters and more particularly to a heater of the flash type.

An object of this invention is to provide a heater designed for burning of very fine fuel such as coal, so that there will be substantially no ash remaining after the fuelhas burned.

Another object of this invention i to-provide a heater of this type-which includes a'pre-heating means for pro-heating the air which ismixed with the fuel in orderthat the fuel will burn to the desired degree. I

Another object of this invention is to provide a heater of this kind which'includes a pre-heater for the air mixed with the fuel in the combustion chamber anda steam generator adapted to generate steam from the products of combustion.

A further object of this'invention'is taprovide in aheater of this kind an improved means for initially burning a predetermined quality-"of fuel and for-initially pre-heating the air enter- .4 ing the combustion chamber, the device including pivoted dampers which are connected'together for simultaneous operation, one of the dampers permitting the exhaust of airfromthe pre-heating chamber duringthestarting of the heater, and the other of the dampers substantially cuttingoff the exhaust of hot air from the steam chambenso that during the starting operation of the heater the products of combustion are utilized for pro-heating the air entering the combustion chamber, and subsequently the damper for the pre-heating chamber is practically cut off, and the damper for the steam chamber is turned open, in order to permitthe flow of heated air or gases through the steam chamber. 1 a 1 j A further object of this invention is to provide an improved means for feeding both air and very fine coal or fuel to the heater. 3 To the foregoing objects and others which may hereinafter appear, the invention consists of the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts as will be more specifically .referred to and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, but it is to be understood that changes. variations and modifications may be resorted to which fall within the scopeof the invention as claimed. v

In the drawings: Figure l is a detail top planpartly broke away and in section of a heater constructed according to an embodiment of this invention,

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken on the line 2-.2ofFigurel, i

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 33 of Figure 2, and

Figure 4 is a detail side'elevation partly broken away and in section of a modified form of this invention including diagrammatically the electric circuits associated with the modification.

Referring to the drawings the numeral it] designates generally a housing which is formed of a top wall II, a bottom wall I2, a front end Wall l3, and a rear end wall M. The walls H, l2, l3, and I4 may be formed of refractory material, and it will be understood that, if desired, an-outer insulating jacket may be disposed about the outer sides and top wall of the housing H].

l 7 An inner transversely disposed wall or partition I 5 is disposed within the housing l0 and has the upper end 16 thereof disposed in downwardly spaced relation with respect to the inner side of thetcp wall I i, so as to thereby provide a passage H which communicates a pre-heating chamber it .with a combustion chamber i 9. An inner horizontally disposed wall 20 is secured between the side walls 2| andis alsosecured tothe inner vertical wall 15 thereby dividing a portionof the housing It] into an upper combustion chamber l9 andthe lower steam chamber 22. The front wall 13 at the lower portion thereof is provided with an opening 23, and an ash door 24-is disposed on theouter side of the wall l3 forclosing the opening'23 The door 224 permits entrance to the lower portionof the steam chamber 22 in order to remove the ashes or the like which may accumulate within the steam chamber 22.

The wall 20 constitutes the bottom wall for. the combustion chamber i9 and also constitutes the top wall for the steam chamber 22. v The forward end of the Wall 20 is disposed in inwardly spaced relation with respect to the inner side of the front wall l3 thereby providing a passage 25 communicating the-combustion chamber 9 with the steam chamber 22.

The steam chamber 22 has mcunted'therein a steam generating structure generally designated as 26. The generator 26 includes a plurality of vertically disposed coils 2 which are connected together at the center thereof, and an inlet nipple or connection 28 is connected to the lower portion of the generator 26, and extends through a side wall 2| for connection with a source of water supply. An upper steam outlet connection 29 is connected with the upper portion of the generator 26 and extends outwardly or laterally through the opposite side wall 2| from the connection 28.

The pre-heating chamber l8 has connected therewith an outwardly extending pipe or duct 30 in the lower portion thereof, and the steam chamber 22 has also connected therewith and extending therefrom an exhaust or outlet duct or pipe 3!. The pipes or ducts 30 and 3| are connected to a common exhaust or outlet pipe 32 which may be extended to a stack or the like. A damper 33 is pivotally mounted in the duct 36 and has a crank or arm 34 exteriorly of the pipe 30. A second damper or valve 35 is pivotally carried by the pipe-orduct-3l andlis provided with an arm or lever 36 exteriorly of the pipe or duct 3|. A damper operating rod 31 is pivotally connected at 38 with the arm or crank 34, and is also pivotally connected as at 39 with the arm or crank 35, so that the two dampers 33 and 35 will operate together.

Preferably as shown in Figure 1 the damper 33 will be disposed in substantia'llyan open position when the damper 35 is substantially closed. This is the starting position of each damper at the time the heateris initially set in-operation. After the heater has been in operationashort time,-so that the air passing through :the preheating chamber 18 is heated to the desireddegree for fla-sh'burning'ofthe fuel discharged in the combustion chamber 19, the positions of the'dampers 33 and "35 will'be'reversed, that is the damper 33 will be substantially closed whereas the damper 35 'willbe substantially open.

The pro-heating chamber l8 -'has mounted thereinan air pre-heating coil structuregenerally designatedas'm. The pre-heating structure Mlincludes a plurality of coils 4| which are connectedat the lower ends as at and are connected together attheir upper ends as at 43. An intake 'nipple'M 'is-connected withthe lower portion 'of the coil structure 40, and an exhaust nippl'e'45fisconnected with the upper portion of the'coil structure 40 and extends from the coil structure oppositelyfrom the nipple '45.

The nipple "'45 is extended through the inner wall lt'hrough an opening lfi'formed in the 'wall I5, and a nozzle 4"! is "carried by the nipple 46, and extendsiinto the lower portion of the combustion ichamber [9,so that the'pre-heated air discharged from the nozzle 41 will .provide the desired oxygento p'ermit'the ready burning ofthe fuel within the combustion .chamber l9.

An air ductgenerally designated as 48 is connected with the intake nipple M and includes a lower horizontal nipple orpipe connection '49 having an elbow 150 connected therewith. The pipe connection 149 ex'tendsthroug'hthe rear wall M of the housing f 3 andis connected with the intake nipple '44. An upwardly extending branch '5! is connected with the elbow 50 andhas mounted on the upper end thereof an elbow 52. VA manually operable damper 53 is.mounted in thelower portion of the pipe 5|, so as to provide avmeans for regulating the quantity of airipassing from the-pipe structure 48 .into the pre-heating coil-Ml.

A horizontallydisposed pipe or branch-54 is connected at one'end with the elbow 52 and is connected at the other end to a right angular branch 55. The branch-55 is connected with a T coupling 56, and an axiallydisposed pipe 5'1 is connected with the T 5.5 and is also connected toan L 58. -A pipe 59 is-connected with the -L 58, and the pipe-59 is also-connected with a blower structure-generally designated as 50. The blower 6 has a -fan-blade structure fil mounted in the housing-52, 'and a fanblad'e shaft '63 is -j ournalled through the housing '62. An electric motor 6!! is directly coupled -to-the shaftfi3 and is adapted to be connected to a suitable source of electric current supply.

A coal or fuel hopper 65 is mounted on the top wall ll of the housing It], being supported by means of supporting members 66 which are fixed to the upper side of the top wall I I. The hopper 65 has journalled in the lower portion thereof a screw conveyor 67 which is directly coupled to the shaft 63. A conveyor housing 68 extends from one side of the hopper -65 and includes an end wall 69 formed with a discharge opening it. The quantity of coal discharged through the opening 13 by means of the conveyor 61 is regulated by means of an adjustable needle valve member H.

The needle valve member H is formed of a head 12 carried by a threaded shaft 13 extending through a valve housing 14. The valve housing M is formedin a pipe'or air duct 15 which extends at rightangles from the conveyor housing 68 as shown in Figure 1.

One end of :the Dipestructure 15 is connected to a branch -16'of the T 56by means'of 'afianged coupling 17. A manually-adjustabledamper I8 is mounted in the pipe '15 adjacent-the coupling 1-1,-so-'as to zprovide a means for regulating the quantityof airjpassing'from the coupling 56 :into the pipe 15. The .pipe 15 "extends rearwardly from 'the-conveyor housing-68 and'has connected therewitha downwardly and rearwardly inclined fuel discharge nozzle :01 pipe 1-9. The pipe or nozzle 19 has a flange which-is fixed by iase tening-devices 8l -to-the upper side of the top'wall l I. The inclination 'of the fuel tdischarge member -10 is downwardlyan'd rearwardly in the directionof -the'air nozzle 41, so that the fuel'discharged from the nozzle structure 19 will be directed at :an-obtusec-angle to the flow of-air discharging from=theairynozzle l1, ln this manner-the heated air discharging from the nozzle 41 will breakup-or spread the fuel which is discharged -fror n the discharge member '19 at the same-time that this fuel'is ignited.

lnworder to provide a means whereby access may be had to the combustion chamber 1.9 for placing a quantity .offuel .in the combustion chamber [9 to start the heater, Ihave provided an upstanding nipple or. upwardly opening housing 82 which iscarried by the top wall ll rearwardly of the fuel nozzle or discharge member 19. A'cap 78 3'is adapted to engage over the housing or nipple 82*and is hingedly mounted as at 84 on the rear side of the nipple or h0using'82.

Referring now'to'Figure 4 there is disclosed a slightly modified form of regulating means for regulatingthe operation of the heater. In this Iormthe-heater 10 is constructed identical with the heater l0, being formed with a pre-heating air chamber f8- and'also a steam heating chamber'adjacent the air heating chamber 18 An exhaust pipe 3P is connected at one end with the-steam chamber in thehousing l0, and a second exhaustpipe'i'lll is connected at one end with the air heating chamber It. The two pipes 30 and 3'P-zare extended upwardly'in a convergent relation, :being connected attheir upper ends to a substantially V-shaped coupling generally designatedias 5. The coupling 85 has a branch 86 Which'iis'connected withthe-pipe3l and also has a second branch 81 connected with the upper end of the pipe 30 An air regulating valve or damper 88 'is pivotally mounted on a shaft 89 withinthe coupling-85in a position whereby the damper .or'valve'88 may-control theflow .of exhaust airgthrough either one :of'thepipes 3B or 3| a to a common exhaust pipe 9.0 whichvisacom nected with the upper or convergent end of the coupling 85. i

The shaft 89 has secured thereto one end of a shaft operating fork or lever 9I. The forked lever 9| has slidable through the outer or bifurcated end thereof the upper end portion of a valve or damper operating rod 92. The rod 92 has mounted thereon a collar 93 which is fixed to the rod 92 above the forked end of the lever 9|. A second collar 94 is mounted on the rod 92 below the lever 9I, and a spring 95 is interposed between the collar 94 and the lower side of the lever 9 I.

The lower end of the rod 92 is pivotally connected as at 96 to one arm9I of a bell crank 98. The bell crank 98 is pivotally mounted as at 99 on a bracket or supporting member I99 which is fixed to the rear end wall I4 of the housing III. The other arm I9I of the bell crank 98 is pivotally connected as at I92 to a horizontally slidable bell crank operating rod I93. Preferably the arm I9I is formed with an elongated slot I94 within which the pivotal member I92 slidably engages. The rod I93, is slidable through a bushing or sleeve I95 which is extended through the end wall M A heat expansive thermal member I93 is mounted on the inner end of the rod I93 within the heating chamber I9 The outer end of the thermostatic member I99 is fixedly secured to a collar I91 which is fixed relative to the sleeve I95. The opposite or inner end of the thermostatic member I96 is fixed as at I93 relative to the inner end of the rod I93. In this manner when the heating chamber I8 reaches a pre-determined temperature, the thermostatic member I96 will expand, thereby moving the rod I93 inwardly and pulling the rod or link 92 downwardly.

Downward movement of the rod 92 will cause the collar 93 to engage the lever 9I and rock the damper 88 to the right or the dotted lineposition shown in Figure 4. In this dotted line position the air will be cut off from the pipe 39 to the outlet pipe 99 and the air from the pipe 3| will flow freely into the outlet pipe 99. p

In order to provide a means whereby the motor 64 associated with the heater housing I9 may be regulated in its operation by means of the thermostatic member I96, and the movement of the damper or valve 89, I have provided a switch structure I99 which is disposed adjacent the upper end of the rod 92. The switch structure I99 is connected as at II9 with the upper end ofthe rod 92, so that the switch I99 will snap on and off with vertical movement of the rod 92. One side of the switch I99is connected by means of a conductor I I I to one side of the motor 64, and the other side of the switch is connected by a conductor I I2 to a source of current supply. The other side of the motor 69* is connected by means of a conductor M3 to the other side of the current supply.

A second thermmtatic control H4 is mounted in the steam chamber of the housing Ill and is connected to the conductors III and H2 by conductors IE5 and H6 respectively. The control H4 is normally closed and is, adapted to break the circuit to the motor 99 when the steam chamber becomes heated beyond a pre-determined degree. During the normal running of the furnace I9 the switch I99 will be open and the damper 93 will be in the position shown in dotted lines. At this time the control H4 will be in a circuit closing position so as to thereby maintain operation of the motor 94 'In the use and operation of this heater the closure 93 is initially raised to permit the placement of charcoal or other fuel on the upper side of the inner horizontal wall 29 and within the combustion chamber I9. At this time the dampers 33 and 35 will be in the positions shown in Figure 1 wherein the damper 35 is in substantiallya closed position. A small quantity of heated air may,'however, pass the damper 35. V

The blower 99 is then operated by the motor 54 so as to force air through th pre-heating coil 49. In view of the fact that the damper 35 is in a substantially closed position, th major portion of the air discharged into the combustion chamber I9 will flow rearwardly over the upper edge I9 of the inner wall I5 as shown by the arrow H9. This heated air will move downwardly in the pro-heating chamber I8 and will exhaust through the exhaust pipe or duct 39.

During the starting of the fir within the come bustion. chamber I9, the damper 18 may be in a substantially closed position, sothat no air will flow through the pipe I5. After the air in the heater including the combustion chamber l9 and the super-heater chamber I8 becomes heated to the desired degree, the damper 19 may be opened so as to permit air tofiow through the. pipe I5 and through the discharge member I9. In view of thefact that the conveyor '39 is continuously operatedythe opening of the needle valve I2 will permit the fuel to be forced out of the conveyor housing 98 into the pipe 15 where the fuel is forced rearwardly and discharged with a small quantity of air through the discharge member I9.

As soon as the fuel is discharged from. the discharge nozzle I9 this fuel will become ignited by'reason of the'hot blast of air being discharged from the super-heater air nozzle 41. When'the fuel is beingdischarged from the, nozzle I9 into the combustion, chamber I9 and is ignited in the combustion chamber, the heated air will flow through the passage 25 into the steam chamber 22 and then exhaust through the exhaust pipe or duct 3I. At this time the valve 35 is in a substantially open position and the valve 33 is in a substantially closed position. While the major portion of the air heated within the combustion chamber I9. including the products of combustion are discharged through the passage 25, a portion of the heated air and products of combustion will move rearwardly through the passage'IIinto the pre-heating chamber I9.

The heatedair passing into the pre-heating chamber I8 will heat the coil 99, so that the air passing through the coil 49 will become heated prior to its discharge from the nozzle 91. In View of the fact that the damper 33 during the full operation of the furnace or heater I9 is never completely closed, the heated air in the heat chamber I8 will flow from this chamber through the duct 39 into the exhaust duct 32.

The heater hereinbefore described will keep very high temperatures during all stages of operation which are necessary for the complete combustion of the fuel, and by means of the thermostatic control disclosed in Figure4 the preheater may be substantially cut oif after. high temperatures develop'in the combustion chamber.

During the time that the heater is in operation the super-heating coil 49 will be heated to a pre-determined degree and by reason of the flow of substantially cool air therethrough, the coil will not become overheated. This overheatingof the super-heater '49 is also preventedby reason of the fact that only a small portion of the heated air or products of combustion from the combustion chamber l-S flow into-and through the super-heating chamber l 8.

What-Iclaim is: p

.A heater comprising ahousing formed of bottom, -top,'opposite end and'side walls, an uprightinner wall-inwardly from one end wall and spaced at its upper end from said top wall and forming a pre-heating chamber adjacentone end of the housing-a, horizontal inner 'wall'fixed to saidupright wall-and to'said sidewalls, one-end ofrsaid horizontal wall being spaced from the other end wall,-the space above said horizontal wall constituting' a combustion chamber and the space below 'said'horizontal wall'constitutinga steam'chamberyan air heating coil disposed in said pre-heating chamber, means forcing 'air through said'coiL an air nozzle connected to said air heating coil and discharging into 'the lower portion of said combustion chamber, 'means 1 discharging powdered fuel into said combustion chamber in adirection intersecting the flow 'of heated 'air, asteam generating member in said steam chamber, and 'means exhausting heated air and products of combustion from said preheatingand steam chambers.

2'. A heater comprising "a hou'sing formed of bottom, top, opposite end and side walls, an upright inner wall inwardly from "one end wall 'and s'pacedat its upper end from said top wall andf'o'rming a'pre-heating chamber adjacent'one end of the housing, a horizontal inner 'wall fixed to said upright Wall and to said side walls, one end of said horizontal wall being spaced from the other end wall, the space above said horizontalwall'constitutin'g a combustion chamber and the space below said horizontal"wall'constituting asteam chamber, an air heating coil disposed in said pre-heating chamber, 'nieans forcing air through said'coil, an air"nozzle connectedto'said air heating coil and discharging into the lower portion'of said combustion chamber, means'discharging powdered fuel into said combustion chamber in a direction intersecting the flow of heated air, a steam generating member in said steam chamber, means exhausting heated air and products of combustion from said preheatingand steam chambers, and means controlling theexhaus'ting of air and products of combustion.

3. A heater'compri'sing a housing including an upper combustion chamber-pa steam chamber below and communicating with said combustion chamber, anair pre-heating chamber at one-end of said combustion and steam chambers and communicating with said combustion chamber, an air heating and conducting coil in said air heating chamber, an air discharge nozzle extending from said coil and terminating within said combustionchamb'erfa blower, means connecting said blower with said coil, a steam coil in said steam chamber, an exhaust pipe connected to said air heating-chamber, an exhaust pipe connected tosaid steam chamber, a fuel discharge nozzle communicating with said combustion chamber, a fuel hopper, a conveyor in the lower portion of said hopper, a motor common'to said blower and said conveyor, a by-pass pipe connected with said first means and with said'conveyorand said fuel nozzle, means regulating the discharge of fuel from said conveyor into said by-pass pipe, and means regulating the exhaust of air and products of combustion from said steam and'airheating chambers.

4. -A heater comprising a housing including'an upper combustion chamber, a steam chamber below and communicating with sai'cl'combustion chamber, an air pre-heating chamber at on'e end of said combustion andsteam chambers "and communicating with said combustion chamber, an air heating and conducting coil in 'saidair heating chamber; anairdischarge nozzle extending -from said coil and terminating within said combustion chamber, a blower, means connectingsaid blower with said coiL-a steam coil in said steam chamber, an exhaust pipe-connected to said air heating chamber, an exhaust pipe connected to said steam chamber, a fuel discharge nozzle communicating with said combustion chamber, a fuel hopper, -a'-conveyor in-the lower portion ofsaid-hopper, a motor'common to said blower"and-saidconveyor, a by-pass pipe connected with-said first means and with said conveyorand said fuelhozzle, a damper in-said by-pass pipe, means regulating the discharge of fuel from said conveyor into said by-pass pipe, andm'eans regulating the exhaust of air and products-of'combustion from said steam andair heating chambers.

*5. A heater comprisinga housing includlngan upper combustion chamber, a steam chamber below'and communicating with said-combustion chambeigan air pre-heating chamber at one end ofsaidcombustionand steam chambers and communicating with said combustion chamber, --an airhe'ating and conducting coilin said air-heating chamber, an air discharge nozzle extending from-said coil andterminating within said -combustion chamber, ablower,-means connectingsaid blower with saidcoil, a steam coil in said steam chamber, an exhaust :pipe connected to-said air heating chamber, an exhaust pipe connected to said-steam chamber, a'iuel dischargenozz-lecommunicating with said combustion chambena-fuel hopper, 'a conveyor in the lower portion of-said hopper, a'moto'rcommon to said blower'andsaid conveyor, a by-pass pipe connected with said first means and with saidconveyorandsaid fuel nozzle, "a needle valve extending through said-bypass pipe and confronting thedischar-ge end of said conveyor for regulatingth'e quantity of fuel discharged into said by-pass pipe, and means regulating the exhaust of "air and products of combustion from said steam and air heating chambers.

6. A heater comprising-a housin'g'including an upper combustion chamber, a steam chamber below and communicating With said combustion chamber, an air pre'-heating chamber at an end ofsaid combustion and steam chambersand communicating with said combustion-chamber, an air heating and conducting coil in said air heating chamber, an air discharge nozzle extending from said coil and te'rminatingwithin said combustion chamber, a blower, means connecting said blower with said coil, a steam coil in said steam chamher, an exhaust pipe connected to said air heating chamber, an exhaust pipe connected to said steam chamber, a fuel discharge nozzle communicating with said combustion chamber, a fuel hopper, a conveyor in the lower portion of said hopper, a motor common to said blower and said conveyor, 2. by-pass pipe connected with said first means and with said conveyor and said fuel nozzle, means regulating the discharge of fuel from said conveyorinto said'by-pass pipe, a regulating damper in each exhaust pipe, means connecting said dampers together for simultaneous operation, said dampers being so arranged that one of said dampers will be disposed in a substantially closed position when the other damper is in an open position.

7. A heater comprising a housing including an upper combustion chamber, a steam chamber below and communicating with said combustion chamber, an air pre-heating chamber at an end of said combustion and steam chambers and communicating with said combustion chamber, an air heating and conducting coil in said air heating chamber, an air discharge nozzle extending from said coil and terminating within said combustion chamber, a blower, means connecting said blower with said coil, a steam coil in said steam chamber, an exhaust pipe connected to said air heating chamber, an exhaust pipe connected to said steam chamber, a fuel discharge nozzle communicating with said. combustion chamber, a fuel hopper, a conveyor in the lower portion of said hopper, a motor common to said first means and said conveyor, a by-pass pipe connected with said blower and with said conveyor and said fuel nozzle, a V-shaped coupling connected to said exhaust pipes, a damper in said coupling for regulating the exhaust of air or products of combustion into said coupling, thermostatic means extending into said air heating chamber, and means connecting said thermostatic means with said damper.

JOHN R. WEAVER. 

